Bending machine



Dec. 26, 1944.

2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1942 I f p F 4 a a g f 43 INvE-n'r'nn WILLIAMEKANE A TTDI QNEY Dec. 26, 1944.

W. E. KANE BENDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1942 InvEnT DR 4 WILLIAM Eff/11g; I m/14 ATT DRNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1944 BENDING MACHINE,

William E. Kane, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Kane & Roach, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 20, 1942, Serial No. 427,487

14 Claims.

My invention relates to a metal bending machine adapted for bending structural shapes and more particularly angle bars into arcs or circles. More especially, my invention is concerned with the configuration and arrangement of the bend ing rolls.

One of the most diflicult shapes to bend successfully is the angle bar, because when an angle bar is bent with one of the legs parallel to the axis of curvature, the neutral axis of the shape will be somewhere in the edgewise leg, and the curvature beyond the flange which is being bent onthe flat, the problem is not sodifficult, because in this particular instance the edgewise flange is being stretched, and distortion from an accurate arc or circle can be prevented by supporting the edgewise flange-laterally. In this operation, there is little tendency for the original angle between the flanges to be thrown out of true. There is, howevenatendency for the bent shape to spiral along the axis of curvature. This, however, can be corrected by lateral pressure, that is pressure along the axis of curvaturein a direction to oppose the spiralling tendency.

I When it is attempted to bend an angle with the leg in, that is with the flange that is being bent on edge projecting inwardly toward the axis of curvature from the flange which is being bent on the flat, a much more diiflcult problem arises. In this case, at least a portion of the edge bent or edgewise flange is compressed, while the flat bent or flatwise flange must be stretched. Due to the fact that the edgewise flange is being compressed, and also because there is more metal at the juncture of the two flanges, the free edge of the flatwise flange is bent to a smaller radius of curvature than the leg edge. The result .is that the bent angle may be twisted, the freeedge of the flatwise flange toeing in, while the free edge of'the edgewise flange be'nds outward away from the flatwise flange.

angle, the flatwise flange should be parallel to the axis of curvature, while the edgewise flange should extend radially normal to the axis of curvature. The distortion described above produces a shape where the flatwise flange instead of lying inder.

such scheme utilizes ordinary cylindrical bend ing rolls which alone would produce a distorted circular shape and then provides additional means for stretching the flatwise flange to bring the free edge thereof into the surface of a cyl- This added stretching of the free edge of the flatwise flange brings the edgewise flange back into a plane normal to the axis of curvature.

In my Patent No. 2,160,216, dated May 30, 1939, I have shown another scheme for obtaining truly bent circle shapes from angle bars. The scheme there disclosed employs three bending rolls two of which are cylindrical and one frustro-conical in shape so arranged'that the free edge of the flatwise flange is rolled over a diameter greater than the diameter of the roll adjacent the edgewise flange. This provides additional stretching of the free edge of the flatwise flange to overcome the toeing-in tendency referred to above. In order to maintain the angularity between the flanges of the bar, the lateral supports for the edgewise flange are likewise inclined to the normal with reference to the axis of curvature. The scheme disclosed in my said patent produces bent shapes of reasonable accuracy, and my present invention constitutes an improvement on my ation.

In a. perfectly bent 45,

in the surface of a cylinder lies in the surface of a cone, and the edgewise flange extends inwardly at an angle away from the normal.

Various schemes have been tried to overcome this unwanted distortion of the bent angle. One 55 Another object of my invention is to provide a bending roll as described above having in addition thereto means for-utilizing a single roll to bend a range of sizes of angles.

Another objectof my invention is to provide on the bendingroll of a bending machine a back plate adapted to laterally support the work while it is being bent.

Still another object of my invention is to provide in a bending machine having a tapered bend ing roll constricting means such as end plates located adjacent the opposite ends of said bending roll for laterally constraining the angle being bent in order to maintain the work in its proper relationship to'the tapered bending roll.

Otherobjects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, parts being broken away, of a pyramid type bending machine equipped with the bending rolls of .my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section, parts being broken away, of the tapered bending roll mounted on its shaft and set up for bending an angle leg in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 :il-lustrating the set-up for a larger size angle bar.

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of thetapered. bending r011 showing 'modifiedset-ups' for bending angles leg in.

Figure 6 is a vertical section, parts being broken away, showing the bending roll and its associated parts set up for bending an angle leg-out.

Figure '7 is a view similar toFig-urefi illustrating the set-up for a difierent'size angle bar.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings:

The pyramid bender illustrated in Figure 1 comprises. a: frame or pedestal- M- in which isc-rotatably mounted a pair of rollsupporting shafts H and I2. Suitable gearing is provided within the frame ill for driving; the shafts H and. I 2 in unison, but asthis mechanism forms no part of my present invention it is not here illustrated.

The bending or pressure 'rol-l shaft l-3 is irotatably mounted in a vertically swing-ing arm M which issecured tothepedestal in by. means of a horizontal Ibean'ng shaft not shown. The shafts H, l2 and" M- are positioned at the three apices-o'f atriangle and are parallel toeach other. It is, of course, understood that theshaft I3 is movable toward and away from'the shafts H and I2 in order to accommodate rollsand. work of different diameter. An adjusting means is provided at the free end of the supporting arm M. The adjusting means 1-5 is used for regulating the distance of the shaft B from the shafts H and 12. power driven through a suitable gear train connected with the gearing which drives the shafts .II and I2.

Mounted on the front side'of the pedestal. H], as viewed in Fig'ume 1, is a pair of pivoted brackets and 2| located one ateither side of the shaft l3. The brackets 20 and 2| each carry a roller 22 and 2-3; respectively. The axes of the rollers 22 and 23 lie in planes which are normal to the shafts H, l2 and 13-. Adjustable: clamping means 24 and 25, respectively, are provided for the brackets 20 and 2| in order that the brackets may be positioned and clamped at various angles for contacting work passing through the machine at substantially right angles to the path of travel thereof.

The machine described. thusfaris; awelleknown type of pyramid bending machine and is adaptable for various bending operations The machine is provided with a set of bending rolls, presently to be described, mounted on the roll shafts. Work is fed over the rolls mounted on the shafts II and I2 and under the pressure roll mounted on shaft l3. By adjusting the shaft l3 toward andaway from shafts H and I2, the work will be bent on different radii. The triangular space definedby the three shafts. H, l2 and T3 may be. referred to as. the bendingzone.

In using the machine illustrated in Figure 1 The shaft l-il may also be.

for bending an angle bar with the leg in, rolls 26 and 21 are mounted on the shafts II and I2. As these rolls are identical, it will be necessary to describe but one of them. The roll 21 is made up of two cylindrical portions 28 and 29 having the same outside diameter. The outer surface or periphery of each of the portions 28 and 29 is parallel to the axis of the shaft 1-2. The outer edge 38 of the portion 28 is rounded off slightly as is also the edge 3| oi the portion 29. I prefer to build up my bending rolls in portions similar to portions 28 and 29 in order to accommodate the flats of angles of various sizes. It is, of

course, understood that the roll 21 can be made "of'a single piece instead of being split into the parts'2-8 and 29. A plate 35 is also mounted on the shaft l2 and separated from the roll 21 by means of a spacing collar, not shown. The entire assembly is secured to the shaft l2 by means of keyways and asolid key, not shown.

, A collar- 36 is interposed between the outer face of the roll 21 and a nut '3 which is screwed onto a threaded portion 38 of the shaft l2. It is understood' that the position of the roll 21 on the shaft l2 may be varied by the use of different sized spacing collars.

I shall now describe the set-up of the pressure roll illustrated in Figure 2 for bending an angle with the leg in. The pressure roll shaft I3 is formed: with a reduced outer portion 40 providing a shoulder M. A circular end plate or backing plate 42 having an aperture 43 is slipped onto the reduced portion 40 of the shaft 13 and brought home against the shoulder 41. The

front face M of the backing plate 2 is provided with a circular recess 45. The recess '45 is concentric with the reduced portion 4'9 of the shaft Band is of a diameter slightly greater than the largest diameter of the tapered pressure bending roll 50. I provide a plurality of shims or washers 53 which are placed in the recess 45 to space the tapered roll 50- w-ith reference to the backing plate '42. The backing plate 12 is of large diameter as compared to the pressureroll 50, so as to extend beyond the periphery of the pressure roll and overlap the bending rolls 25 and 21, as shown in Figure 1-. The backing plate 42' is thus adapted, to form a continuous lateral support through the bending zone for the angle bar bein bent.

A second end plate or cover plate 55 is also provided, which is circular in shape and has an outside diameter slightly greater than that of the tapered pressure roll 50. The face 56 of the cover plate 55 is tapered at an angle preferably.

slightly greater than the angle of taper of the pressure roll 59. so that when the cover plate is assembled next to the tapered roll 50 as shown in Figure 2, a radius taken on the face ofthe cover plate will be at slightly more than to the tapered surface of the roll 59.

I have foundin practice that over a. range of sizes, for example, angle bars A? x up to angle bars 1%" x 1%", a satisfactory taper for the roll 50 is two and one-half degrees, that is, the surface of the roll deviates from parallelism with the axis of the shaft l3 by two and one-half degrees. This taper may vary somewhat depending upon the characteristics of the steel being worked upon and the size of the angle bar. With such a two and-one-half degree taper of the pressure roll 59, a suitable taper for the face 56 of the cover plate 55 is three degrees, With to the periphery of the roll 50, the precise angle being 90 degrees.

I prefer to provide the cover plate 55 with an integral boss 58 acting as a spacer between the cover plate 55 and the roll 50, and forming a recess 59 therebetween. The boss 58 should be of such length that the recess 59 will just accommodate the edgewise flange of the angle bar being bent, as shown in Figure 2. In the preferred form of my invention, the boss 58 is circular and of such diameter that for the particular size angle bar for which it is intended, the edge of the edgewise flange will bear on the boss 58 as illustrated in Figure 2, the boss 53 thus serving also as an edge-bearing plate.

It will be observed that a set-up such as just described would require a tapered roll 50 of appropriate length and a cover plate 55 having a circular boss 58 of appropriate diameter and length for each size of angle bar to be worked. Within certain rather narrow limits, depending upon the depth ofthe recess 45, the elfective working length of the tapered roll 55 may be varied by changing the number and thickness of. the shims or washers 53, thereby changing the distance which the roll 50 projects into the re cess 45. The shims 53 act as a spacing means for varying the axial distance between the face 44 of the end plate 42 and the face 55 of the end plate 55, thus by proper adjustment enabling first, constraining the flatwise flange between the backing'plate 42 and the cover plate 55; second, constraining the free edge of the edgewise flange in the recess 59; and, third, supporting the free edge of the edgewise flange on the boss 58 to get an edge bearing. The latter two features are present in the disclosure of my prior Patent 2,160,216 (see for example the tapered bending roll set-up for bending an angle bar leg shown in Figure thereof). The first feature, however, is entirely lacking in said patent, the edge of the flatwise flange being there the flatwise flange of the angle bar being bent to be constrained between those two faces. Where greater roll length is necessary, I prefer to provide a tapered roll extension 5! as illustrated in Figure 3, thereby forming a sectionalized tapered roll of greater length than the roll 5!] alone. For similar reasons of economy, I provide a working face on each side of the cover plate 55. Thus, as shown in Figure 3, the face 56 and boss 58' are used in lieu of the face 56- and boss 58 employed in Figure 2, thereby making the cover plate 55 do double duty for two sizes of angle bars. It will of course be understood that cover plates having only asingle tapered working surface could be used if desired.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the spacing and edge-bearing functions of the boss 58 or 58' could be performed by a separate collar in lieu of the integral boss, and that lengthwiseadjustability of such a separate collar could be obtained by means of shims or washers.

the cover plate 55 orboth could be rotatably.

mounted on the shaft I3 by the provision of suitable bushings in the plate or plates. l

I have found that byusing a backing plate 42 i of large diameter as compared with the diameter of the tapered roll 5 and by constraining the flatwise flange between the backing plate 42 and the cover plate 55, work of great accuracy can be turned out with this combination of holding plates and tapered roll. The large diameter backing plate 42 gives a wide lateral bearing against the free edge of the flatwise flange during the bending operation. This effectively prevents twisting of the angle bein bent. Three conditions for obtaining the most accurate work are,

free floating.

As pointed out above, reasonably accurate curved anglebars with leg in can be produced in accordance with the disclosure of my prior Patent 2,160,216, using only thetapered roll and tapered cover plate and edge-bearing against the edgewise flange as hereinabove described, with the free edge of the flatwise flange free floating. I have found that reasonably accurate leg in work can also be turned out using the set-up as illustrated in Figure 4. In Figure 4, the tapered roll 58 and the backing plate 42 are used in conjunction with a cover plate 62 having a tapered working surface 63 and a spacing collar 64. The

collar 64 is of such length as to form a recess 59 as before just accommodating the edgewise flange of the angle being bent. Collar 64 may be a sepa rate member so as to obtain the correct spacing by interchanging collars, or it may be built up to the appropriate length by the use of shims or washers. The diameter of the collar 54,;how ever, is too small to provide edge-bearing for the edgewise flange. The roll 50 and the backing plate 42 are adjusted as before to constrain the flatwise flange between the cover plate 62 and the backing plate 42, thereby providing edgebearing for the free edge of the flatwise flange against the backing plate 42. Although the arrangement of Figure 4 will not give the same degree of accuracy of work as the preferred arrangement of Figures 2 and 3, it does have the advantage that a wide range of angle sizes can be bent using a single cover plate 64.

I'have also found that leg in angle bending of such quality as to be commercially acceptable for many purposes can be produced using the tapered roll 50 and a cover plate 65 having a flat working surface 66 as illustrated in Figure 5. In the set-up shown in, that figure, the edgewise flange of the angle being bent, has edge-bearing on the hub or collar 61, but the free edge of the flatwise flange is free floating Better results can be obtained, however, when the flatwise flange is constrained between the cover plate 65 and the backing plate 42, similarly to. the arrangements of Figures 2, 3 and 4.

In Figures 6 and '7 I hav shown two complete set-ups of the pressure roll for bendin angle bars leg out. In bending angle bars leg out, the bending roll 18 need not be tapered, but I'have found it advantageous to use the backing plate 42 and a cover plate 15 to constrain the flatwise flange of the angle. In order to obtain easy adjustment over a wide range of angle sizes, I have illustrated the cover plate I5 as having'a recess 16 and shims 11 similar to the recess 45 and shims 53of the backing plate. Thus with the split roll 10-'H and the shims 53 and H, a wide range of angle bar sizes can be accommodated without the necessity of having a large number of bendin rolls. In setting up the rolls 26 and 21 for bending an angle bar with the leg out, suitable spacing collars are provided between-the plates 35 andithe rolls 26 and 21 to space. said rolls out- Ward away from the "plates 35 to accommodate the edgevn'se flange of. the angle between the backing. plate 42. and the back sides of the rolls 25 and .21. Thus the large backing. plate '42 and the. sides of the rolls 26v and 21 give an accurate and. firm support to the edgewise flange being stretched. This prevents buckling and twisting of the angle bar and resultsin accurate bending.

Although I have shown and described particular embodiments of my invention, it. is obvious that changes in form and dimensions which do not depart from the spirit of my invention will,

occur to those skilled in the art. I therefore wish to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bending machine adapted for bending angle bars of the type having a pair of bending rolls, a pressure roll positioned to bear on the work between said bending rolls and means for driving said rolls, in combination, a backing plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent one end of said pressure roll, said backing plate extending beyond the periphery of' said pressure roll and overlapping said bending rolls to form acontinuous lateral support through the bending Zone for the angle bar being bent.

2. In abending machine adapted for bending angle bars of the type having a pair of bending rolls, a pressure roll positioned to bear on the work between said bending rolls and means for driving said rolls, in combination, end plates mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent either end of said pressure roll and extending beyond said pressure roll, and means for adjusting the distance between said plates to constrain between said plates the flatwise flange of an angle bar being bent.

' 3. In a bending machine adapted for bending angle bars of the type having a pair of bending rolls, a pressure roll positioned to bear on the work between said bendin rolls and means for driving said rolls, in combination, end plates mounted on the pressure roll shaft adj acent either end of said pressure roll and extending beyond said pressure roll, one of said plates'overlapping said bending rolls to form a continuous lateral support through the bending zone for the angle v bar being bent, and means for adjusting the distance between said plates to constrain between said plates the flatwise flange of an angle bar being bent.

.4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which said adjusting means comprises a circular recess in one of said plates of such diameter as to accommodate the adjacent end of said roll, and adjustable spacing means located in said recess between said recessed plate and the adjacent end of said roll.

5. In a bending machine adapted for bending angle bars leg in, of the type having a pair of bending rolls, a tapered pressure roll positioned to bear on the work between said bending rolls and means for driving said rolls, in combination, means mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent either end of said roll and extending beyond said pressure roll for maintaining said work in fixed axial relation to said pressure roll, and means for adjusting the axial distance between said last mentioned means to constrain therebetween the flatwise flange of an angle bar being bent.

6.. a bending machine adapted for bending :angle bars leg in, of the type having a pair of aeeaissa bending rolls, a tapered pressureroll positioned to bear on the work between said bending rolls and means for driving said rolls, in combination, a cover plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the small end of said tapered roll, said cover plate and the small end of said ta ered roll having opposed flat surfaces, means for spacing said flat surfaces of said cover plate and said .tapered roll to provide a recess just accommodating the edgewise flange of an angle bar being bent, and means located at the bottom of said recess for providing an edge-bearing against the free edge of the edgewise flange of said angle bar.

7. The combination as claimed in claim -6 in which said spacing means is a hubformed integrally with said cover plate and the periphery of said hub constitutes said edge-bearing means.

8. In a bending machine adapted for bending angle bars leg in, of the type having a pair of bending rolls, a tapered pressure roll positioned to bear on the work between said bending rolls and means for driving said rolls, in combination, a cover plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the small end of said tapered roll, said cover plate and the small end of said tapered roll having opposed flat surfaces, said flat surface of said cover plate extending beyond said tapered roll, means for spacing said flat surfaces of said cover plate and said tapered roll to provide a recess just accommodating the edgewise flange of an angle bar being bent, means located at the bottom of said recess for providing an edge-bearing against the free edge of the edgewise flange of said angle bar, and a backing plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the large end of said tapered roll, said backing plate having a face extending beyond said tapered roll and adapted to bear against the free edge of the flatwise flange of an angle bar being bent and so positioned as to constrain said flatwise flange between said cover plate and said backing plate,

9. In a bending machine adapted for bending angle bars leg in, of the type having three roll shafts and a'set of rolls mounted thereon comprising two cylindrica1 bending rolls and a tapered pressure roll positioned to bear on the work between said bending rolls, and having an end plate with a tapered working face spaced from the small end of said tapered roll to form a recess accommodating the edgewise flange of an angle bar being bent, said working face of said end plate extending beyond said tapered roll, in combination, a backing plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the large end of said tapered roll, said backing plate having aface extending beyond said tapered roll and adapted to bear against the free edge of the flatwise flange of an angle bar being bent and so positioned as to constrain said flatwise flange between said end plate and said backing plate.

10. In a bending machine adapted for bending angle bars leg in, of' the type having three roll shafts and a set of rolls mounted thereon comprising two cylindrical bending rolls and a tapered pressure roll positioned to bear on the work between said bending rolls, and having an end plate with a tapered working surface spaced from the small end of said tapered roll to form a recess accommodating the edgewise flange of an angle bar being bent, said working face of said end plate extending beyond said tapered roll, in combination, a backing plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the large end of said tapered roll, and means for adjusting the distance between said tapered end plate and said backing plate to constrain the flatwise flange of the angle bar being bent therebetween, said backing plate having a face extending beyond said tapered roll and adapted to bear against the free edge of the flatwise flange of said angle bar.

11. The combination as claimed in claim 10 in which said adjusting means comprises a circular recess in said backing plate of such diameter as to accommodate the large end-of said tapered roll, and adjustable spacing means located in said recess between said backing plate and the adjacent end of said tapered roll.

12. A bending machine adapted for bending angle bars leg in, comprising a pair of cylindrical rolls mounted on parallel axes, a tapered pressure roll mounted on an axis parallel to and between said cylindrical rolls and adjustable toward and away from said rolls, a cover plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the small end of said tapered roll, spacing means between said cover plate and said roll adapted to form a recess for and to support the free edge of the edgewise 13. A bending machine as claimed in claim 12 having in addition, means, for adjusting the axial distance between said cover plate and said backing plate.

14. A bending machine adapted for bending angle bars leg in, comprising a pair of cylindrical rolls mounted on parallel axes, a tapered pressure roll mounted on an axis parallel to and between said cylindrical rolls and adjustable toward and away from said rolls, a cover plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the small end of said tapered roll, spacing means between said cover plate and said roll adapted to form a recess for and to support the free edge of the edgewise flange of an angle bar being bent, a tapered face on said cover plate extending beyond said tapered roll and adapted to laterally support the outer face of said edgewise flange, a

backing plate mounted on the pressure roll shaft adjacent the large end of said tapered roll, said backing plate haying a face extending beyond said tapered roll and adapted to bear against the free edge of the flatwise flange of said angle bar, a circular recess in said face of said backing plate, said recess being adapted to receive the large end of said tapered roll therein, and adjustable spacing means adapted to fit in said circular recess for regulating the entry of said tapered roll into said backing plate, whereby said flatwise flange is constrained between said cover plate and said backing plate.

WILLIAM E. KANE. 

